Saab9-5 Linear2002Overview/saab/9-5-linear/2002/base/

2002 Saab 9-5 Linear

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2002 9-5 Linear.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2002 Saab 9-5 Linear is classified as a passenger car that demands specific maintenance adherence, notably a 4.2 qt engine oil capacity using 10W-30 or 10W-40 API viscosity. Within the model's reliability history, this iteration recorded 65 total owner complaints and is subject to 6 recalls. As the electrical system emerges as the top complaint area, this data indicates researchers should prioritize electrical diagnostics when evaluating this model year's long-term dependability.

Model year2005200420032002

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.2 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 10W-40 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque80 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 48 · 700 CCA battery, OE oil filter 93186554. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 48 · 700 CCAOEM · verified
Tire size215-55VR16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter93186554
Engine air filter55560911
Fuel filter4163853
Spark plug9171307 alt 9117565
Battery12827676
Front wiper blades93196007 alt 93196006
Serpentine belt4899548 alt 93181720
Thermostat30577561 alt 9176165
Cabin air filter32020155

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length189.4 in
Overall width70.5 in
Overall height57.1 in
Wheelbase106.3 in
Curb weight3450 lb
Track (front / rear)59.8 / 59.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.2 qt of 10W-30 / 10W-40 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 19.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · 10W-40 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.2 qt
Engine Oil10W-30 · 10W-40 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.7 qt
Power Steering FluidUSE PENTOSIN CHF11S OR EQUIVALENT

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs6 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts130 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts16 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts19 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug19.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs5 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs17 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub215 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)825 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Spark Plug Gap0.039 in
Spark Plug Torque18.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.93 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeND 8 oil
Oil Capacity4.90 oz
Standard BCI Group Number48
Standard BCI Cranking Performance700 cca
Standard BCI Group Number48

Service checks

Pressure Test20-22 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief20-22 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature192 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)43.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)33.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)43.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)33.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance15.9 @ 68 degreesF ohms

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket21 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0006 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.003 in
Rotor Minimum Machining0.984 in / 0.39 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.925 in / 0.33 in
Rotor Finish0.87 μin / 0.32 μin

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
126 ft. lbs., Step 2: 45 degrees, Step 3: 1526 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

Prep M12 bolts 1-10:

129.5 ft. lbs.29.5 ft. lbs
244 ft. lbs.44 ft. lbs
390 degrees.; M8 Bolts, cylinder head to front cover.90 degrees
117.7
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages
118.5 ft. lbs.18.5 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
390 degrees90 degrees
490 degrees90 degrees
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
148 ft. lbs., Step 2: 3048 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
137 ft. lbs., Step 2: 60 degrees, Step 3: 1537 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 30,000 mi.

Every 6,000 miEngine Coolant System (leak inspection)
Every 10,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Bag System (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect)
At 20,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Drive Belt Tensioner (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 20,000 miSteering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 30,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Suspension Shock or Strut (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (inspect)
Every 60,000 miDrive Belt (replace) · Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Timing Belt (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2002 Saab 9-5 Linear dominate in one area — the electrical system, 26 of 65 reports (40%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the electrical system are also the target of recall 05V-399 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming it was actually performed. 2 of the reports describe a crash and 5 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the electrical system pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

6
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
64
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
65
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 5 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 65 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System26
Engine & Engine Cooling8
Fuel System, Gasoline4
Fuel System, Other3
Power Train3
Engine & Engine Cooling,Electrical System3
Seat Belts2
Unknown Or Other2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

05V399000Electrical System:Ignition:ModuleReported 14/09/2005

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH B205/B235 4-CYLINDER GASOLINE ENGINES AND B308 6-CYLINDER GASOLINE ENGINES MAY EXPERIENCE OVERHEATING AND BURNOUT OF THE ISOLATED GATED BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR (IGBT) WITHIN THE… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT TO SEE WHAT VERSION IDM IS IN THE VEHICLE AND REPLACE THE IDM IF IT IS A VERSION BUILT PRIOR TO THE INTRODUCTION OF QP3. AN INTERIM LETTER WILL BE MAILED TO…

07V087000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 07/03/2007

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FUEL PUMP RETAINING TABS HOLDING THE FUEL LINES WERE DAMAGED DURING PRODUCTION. Remedy: DEALERS WILL DEVELOP A SECURING BRACKET THAT WILL SECURE THE FUEL LINES TO THE FUEL PUMP EVEN IF THE PLASTIC RETAINING TABS SHOULD BREAK. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 13, 2007. THIS…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 64 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIP5601C2025-07-18Unknown Or OtherThis PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
General Communication2024-08-26Electrical SystemVehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It…
16-NA-3832024-06-27Fuel/Propulsion SystemThis service bulletin advises of a new fuel injection cleaner kit used for decarbonizing…
18-NA-0992024-06-17Unknown Or OtherThis bulletin provides information for use on a Product Assistance Claim (PAC), which is…
24-NA-0982024-06-06Electrical SystemThis service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Service Programming…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

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VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific 9-5 Linear. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2002 9-5 Linear take?

4.2 qt of 10W-30-OR 10W-40 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2002 9-5 Linear have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.